Forty years ago about this date we towed to Newport for the start of the selection trials to defend the America’s Cup.

We had had a small regatta in Marblehead over the Memorial day weekend in which “Courageous” was faster on every point of sail. Reggie Pierce looked up from the grinder handles and quipped: “It’s going to be a long summer”. Those words proved to be prophetic.

“Independence” was supposed to be the anointed defender. The rest is history.

“Intrepid” will celebrate 50 years.

INDEPENDENCE CREW 1977COURAGEOUS CREW 1977LOOKING BACK AT COURAGEOUSCOURAGEOUS ON OUR WEATHER HIPTRIMMED IN HARDBERNADETTE WINS THE AMERICA’S CUP AT THE DOG TRACKAMERICA’S DEMITASSE 1977MEASURING THE 12’S

TED AND TEDDYMARBLEHEAD COLD AND RICK HOODSTILL COLDTED HOOD ON INDEPENDENCELOOKING FROM OFF THE BOATCOURAGEOUS 1974

Ted Hood passed away this summer. I was traveling and did not have access to me archive of photographs. For me he will always be the quiet man; after nearly a year of sailing on the same boat we only ever exchanged a handful of words. He was a clever man that mostly saw the whole picture and must have have exceptional three dimensional vision. He could make a boat go fast, however, I believe match racing did not fit his personality.